Pièce 162 - Letter from Grettie Tovey to Elizabeth Trevelyan

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47 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh. - Is very sorry to think of 'Poor' Miss [Constance] Whishaw's orphanage [Sunnybank, Arnside] 'degenerating in that fashion'; it was at Christmas 1897 that she met her and Miss Cark [sic: Minna Karch?] at a hotel in Cap d'Antibes but she never saw them again; her aunt Jane [Anderson] is also upset at the news. Don is playing from an old edition of Cramer's studies. He has just been reading the full score of "Ariadne auf Naxos" by George [sic] Benda in an 'ancient book' he found in the class room library today; she is to tell Trevelyan that 'Benda's librettist's Ariadne is a very ordinary minx!'. The [Reid?] Orchestra has not started yet. Don has been busy writing his programme notes for his series of Beethoven recitals. Grettie kept him in bed and away from the class room on Monday and Tuesday because of a cold, but he is better now. The Reception at the Union went well: Sir Alfred and Lady Ewing are 'particularly unostentatious little people' and 'gave a homely air to the proceedings'; Professor Barlka sang to Don's accompaniment and 'tried hard' to follow his suggestions for improvement. She has indeed seen Don conduct, in the Mozart concerts: he 'looked perfectly splendid, and so purposelike'. Hopes Bessie's 'invalids' have recovered: colds are going around, Mrs [Christina] Niecks has been ill, and Grettie's sister Isabel is currently in bed ill. Bessie should tell Julian he needs to come and inspect 'the Waverley' himself, as she only saw half of it. Mr [Edward] Speyer has sent the Toveys 'the most beautiful little work of an Old Master' which they are charmed with.